


is it a dress?

by pxraxise



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Dark, F/F, Fluff, I Don't Even Know, Lowercase, Original Character(s), i have no clue how to tag this so just read it and do the work for me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 19:48:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18017285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pxraxise/pseuds/pxraxise
Summary: well yeah, y'know, its a dress.





	1. sappy

being a follower of the apocalypse, you're generally knowledgeable about most things.

 

psychology, medicine, history, whatever that is left of the old world.

 

and she was one of the group's best.

pavel was her name, odd.

it fit, however.

 

 

of course the name suggests russian origin, which you'd be right.

plucked from moscow by the followers at the age of six when the bombs.

 

she was raised by them, unlikely parents as they were.

 

 

 

 

all of those memories came rushing back as soon as she stared into veronica's eyes.

it seemed she was an orphan also, judging by the lost look in the dark brown orbs.

they were walking? yes, walking.

pavel nearly lost her footing at the sudden thrust back into reality and away from her daydreaming.

conversation? yeah probably, she was a little unsure but she knew her lips were releasing sentences recently.

 

"you still with me?" veronica lightly waved her hand in front of pavel's face.

 

is she still with her? yeah definitely, codependent is an understatement.

 

"uh- y'know actually i got something to show you?"  
the words spilled from her mouth in a sudden rush

 

pavel was extremely unsure now in what stage the previous conversation was in but she knew she had something she had been meaning to give to her

 

veronica gasped melo-dramatically, giving a curious eye to the blue eyed blonde.

"is it a dress?"

 

and what pavel dug out of her huge backpack was indeed, a dress.

 

the ends of the east and west, legion and ncr and what little gangs and wildlife in the mojave wasteland couldn't anticipate the starry eyed brotherhood scribe's reaction.

 

she squealed.  
she jumped.  
she jumped again.

 

"are you kidding me? its just my style too!"

"well uh—is it good?" pavel's voice trembled even if the answer was painfully obvious to the follower.

"its perfect! thank you so much!" and for the first of many times to come in the companionship of the two, veronica gave a tight hug to the shorter.

 

with the dress still in the russian's hands.

its a little smushed, but not as smushed at pavel's brain of how to react to the touch and the increasing pressure on her already sore back and the feeling of veronica's light hyperventilating against her neck and-

 

yep, pavel's lost again.

at least this time she doesn't need to try to pick up the pieces of previous interactions because she thinks she doesn't wanna have to part from veronica.

 

she thinks veronica even if they met a week ago isnt too bad.

 

she thinks she isn't in love, and that this is just natural primate reaction when given touch when said primate isn't given such very often.

 

she's only wrong about one of the thoughts.


	2. teenage dirtbag

within the second week, pavel had managed to gain access to the lucky 38  _and_ get house out of office, yes man taking his place.

 

 

everything was pretty smooth, pretty nice overall.

 

 

in the presidential suite, pavel laid wait for her companion who was currently in the shower.

 

they slept in the same bed, only for pavel's night terrors which proved pretty bad at sometimes if not treated before it progresses.

 

 

 

 

she should have died via suicide 5 times over throughout the 22 years of her life.

 

 

she was reading some pre-war book about geopolitical affairs, such as capitalism and other systems.

 

it truly fascinated her, nose deep in the literature.

 

this would prove extremely useful for the followers, she was certain.

 

she was so concentrated that she didn't even sigh in relief when the shower turned off.

 

she didn't even  _notice_ the shower turned off

 

 

her reality came ringing to her as veronica walked in of her peripherals.

 

she looked up, camo head wrap that covered her now messy and unkempt looking twin mohawks.

 

she looked up to julie farkas of the old mormon fort in freeside ever since she was 14, what could she say?

 

"at least you have a reason to hide your hair with that wrap, twin mohawks?" veronica teased, her dark brown eyes carrying a light air of playfulness, childish.

 

 

she loved it.

 

pavel cracked a small grin. "yeah, you could say that."

 

she always knew how to snap her into reality

 

odd talent.

 

"anywho, normally i dont mind women looking at me, but only if they have taken me out for dinner first-"

 

"of course, your fair maiden." pavel cut her off gracefully enough, averting her eyes as she heard the light faint thud of the towel dropping.

 

 

 

imagination, proof that god exists.

 

five minutes, give or take.

 

"alright, you can give me your dirty looks now."

 

"finally, i was almost missing the mere silhouette of you."

 

playful mock-romantic banter.

 

 

 

 

only mock, how unfortunate.

 

 

veronica doesn't look bad in pajamas

 

or in general.

 

she slipped her knife handle in between the book as a quick bookmark for now, as she put it on the nightstand.

 

 

"is that book on how to be impromptu 101?"

 

pavel softly giggled.

 

"i wish."

 

and as the lights went out after light banter, she wondered how different veronica would be if she was a capitalist.

or communist.

 

maybe anarchist.

 

 

 

she then wondered if they could have some old world picture-perfect family and-

 

pavel's out again.

 

at least now the comforting hand on her shoulder from veronica keeps a solid anchor enough that the only time to blank out is in your sleep.

 

 

 

and she blanked out, definitely


	3. breakfast

groggy blue eyes peeled open slowly, in response to nothing but her circadian clock.

 

she felt warmer right now then she was last night.

 

 

and as she began waking up bit by bit, her mind filling with the material she read the other night and what she blanked out about in her sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

she felt a  _embrace._

 

from none other then the brunette from yesterday.

 

 

her hazy, sleep-fogged mind remembered her name.

 

veronica, she was certain.

 

 

and now she remembers everything, and places her hand over veronica's  _carefully._

 

she didn't know yet enough if veronica was a heavy sleeper or a light one, but she kept the reciprocation there anyway

 

even if that's a dumb idea because now-

 

"you still haven't taken me out for dinner." she whispered softly.

 

sarcasm never eludes her even if its just waking up.

 

of course, pavel stiffened a little.

 

"y'know you scared me?"

 

"oh yeah im sure, definitely. you scared me too."

 

"how?"

 

"you put your hand on mine."

 

"so?"

 

"you better hold it now atleast."

 

pavel slowly entangled the hand around hers, her face red.

 

"thank you, now at least take me out for breakfast?"

 

pavel laughed.

 

its been a while since shes done that.

the sound feels foreign and not her own as it spills over her lips.

 

 

"alright, c'mon."

 

breakfast doesn't sound so bad with a hand holding veronica's.


	4. a stab in the dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> light crossover of my other character in fnv

today's a saturday, as it reads on her pip-boy.

 

 

in many old world media, saturday and friday are meant to be fun days.

 

 

pavel hummed in thought, as they began the walk to the old mormon fort, curious to see how home is.

 

 

she took a quick glance over the scribe, so she doesn't blank out again.

 

 

blanking out is the absolute last thing she wants to do.

 

 

it wasn't a long walk by any means, and she had out her assault drones to take care of any thugs.

 

 

freeside had a thug problem, most get shot down though.

 

 

but as they were about to pass one of those large 'alleyways', the drones picked up something.

 

and then the shots came and loud orders. 

 

"they didn't say she had fucking drones!"

 

"spread out! boone up on left field!" 

 

quick scatters of swat uniforms and delta gear and firing came to the direction of the two

 

 

pavel quickly jumped behind a destroyed car, pulling veronica over by the wrist.

 

"what the fuck is going on?"

 

"is that ncr?" veronica took a quick glance over before ducking again.

 

gunshots hailed the car, pavel's heart thumping.

 

 

 

"its the goddamn mojave swat team, i guess they want me dead." pavel tried keeping calm, getting her backpack out and pulling out her ppsh-41.

 

"im not too good with guns, hope you know-" veronica huffed as she was handed pavel's scoped mp5k.

 

 

"the drones should give us some time." pavel put her backpack aside.

 

"and what do we do?"

 

"if they came here by dark like they usually did, we'd have a better chance, but uh-"

 

pavel quickly pulled her underneath herself in an attempt to shield any bullets from veronica as she quickly crouch-ran to one of the destroyed buildings 

 

 

they made it, only with a few trigger hairs away from death.

 

"find somewhere in here to hide, quickly!" pavel was scared, obviously in the shaking of her hands and the sweating.

 

pavel wasn't any expert at combat, but she was good enough.

 

 

 

but a trained elite team of ncr? she could only keep them distracted as she came out of her cover and laid suppressive fire down for a second before retreating.

 

 

there is 5, and she's only got so much ammo in this damn thing.

she was gonna die here, she was sure.

 

this is the end of her life, in freeside of all places.

 

she heard gunfire coming from the building, she darted her eyes over, finding veronica atleast trying.

 

 

that was a relief, she almost thought that one of them got sneaky.

she was that paranoid.

 

"get to higher ground, the scribe's got me under suppressive!"

 

karmala huffed. "cant you dickheads work collectively?" 

 

 

the drones were taken out now, focusing all attention to the two.

 

 

pavel quickly jumped over a table and ran up a concrete slab to the second floor of the building.

 

"cmon, we gotta go!" pavel rushed, quickly noticing the drones were taken out.

she nearly blanked out in fear again, her hands were clammy.

 

 

"gotcha!" veronica threw the gun, sprinting over.

 

they reached the second floor, sliding quickly underneath a desk.

 

"stay in here, i don't think they caught us." pavel whispered, shaking uncontrollably 

 

at a closer glance, veronica was shaking too, but tried to keep a steely look on her face

 

unlike pavel, who was about to cry.

 

they heard more gunfire, and shouts.

 

it seems the town's protection, the kings, was getting involved also.

 

they got shot down quickly 

 

 

"the kings are getting involved, should we kill them off too?" raul whispered over.

 

"this entire part of town is gonna die." karmala mumbled underneath her breath, smirking.

 

 

 

 

it seemed for now, they were more concerned with others and not the two girls.

 

pavel, crying underneath a desk with veronica comforting her.

 

she does alot of crying, not often in gunfights.

 

she put down her gun, and  ** _clinged_** to veronica.

 

she believed in her panic attack that she was indeed going to die.

 

 

 

she thought she _knew._

 

 

 

 

10:30 AM.

 

two hours later.

 

they were still under the desk, holding eachother even though the gunfire ceased long ago.

 

"you think its safe?" pavel softly whispered.

 

veronica slowly peeked her head out.

 

"it is, cmon."

 

pavel held her hand, coming out with veronica.

 

they looked out upon the streets, bodies littered across the pavement.

 

pavel swallowed the lump in her throat.

 

"do you think they might have gotten over to old mormon fort?"

 

"i dont know." veronica answered honestly.

 

 

 

she blanked out at the answer, but she snapped back eventually.

 

"lets go look." she quickly ran down the first floor, out of the building and grabbing her gun from the floor.

 

and as she ran out the building with the scribe following behind, grabbing her backpack.

 

"if they are dead-"

 

"we  _don't_ know that yet, pavel."

 

"but if they are, i don't think i'd know what to do with my life."

 

they avoided the dead bodies the best they could, and when they eventually got over, they found the squad trying to bust the door to the fort.

 

"if you refuse to open the door, we may need to blow the door open!" karmala huffed as she was rummaging in her duffel bag for the grenade launcher.

 

 

 

 

pavel crouched, and rummaged in her backpack, finding her own grenade launcher.

 

costed a real fortune to buy it when she did but it was worth it

 

 

"you have a  ** _grenade launcher?!_** " veronica whisper-yelled.

 

"just watch carefully."

 

she aimed, gauging distance.

 

and she fired two rounds.

 

 

it was a stab in the dark if the squad were to notice the incoming projectiles toward them, and if they were to react fast enough.

 

 


	5. sliver

40mm thumbs of god rained upon the squad, and that was just about it.

 

 

pavel heard screams, saw some blood, some body parts being strewn apart or shaking hands with god because they flew up into the sky.

 

 

"jesus christ.." veronica whispered softly.

 

"its my family." she said with a cold voice, putting the grenade launcher back and picking up her ppsh.

 

she aimed, ready to fire when the smoke cleared.

 

 

nothing.

 

 

only alot of blood, and bodies.

 

it seemed nobody survived.

 

until a legless karmala, approximately 15 feet away from her last position before the psuedo-judgement day came to the squad—had began crawling.

 

 

 

pavel stood, fully rounding the corner she was crouched behind getting a better view of the aftermath

 

yeah, it was bad.

 

definitely.

 

 

 

she walked, veronica following but far away, taking in the scene of what had happened

 

she was horrified, and a little scared of the follower.

 

this is what she was capable of?

 

 

it worried her

 

 

 

pavel slowly walked over to the bleeding out karmala.

 

she pulled down her balaclava, lips slowly losing color.

 

"you'll regret this." the woman weakly spoke.

 

"if your superior heard of you doing more then what you're told, you'd be in some deep shit." karmala swallowed as she listened. 

 

might as well, she's the legless one.

 

"too bad you'd never get that mercy, or even the one i'd give you now by shooting you in the head." pavel kneeled down to her, blue eyes staring into dark green ones.

 

 

"you got three minutes and steady in your state, speak."

 

 

"you would've been dead, _should've,_ if your little town didn't try to be little superheros."

 

"you should've been the one bleeding out, not me. why me?"

 

"why? it was when you  _ **fucked with my only family in this entire wasteland, imbecile.**_ " veronica never heard that tone from her, as she listened and watched a few feet away.

 

 

she was beyond worried now.

 

 

"fuck your family."

 

pavel slowly blinked at that comment.

 

 

"two minutes."

 

"if ghosts exist, i'll make sure you never sleep again."

 

"wishful thinking i see."

 

"extremely wishful, pavel. as my nails turn blue and my vision fades to black, and my skin goes white and cold to the touch, i'll get my payback."

 

karmala smiled.

 

it was a bloody one, but it was genuine.

 

 

pavel smiled back.

 

she raised her hand.

 

karmala took it.

 

"the feeling is mutual." pavel said in that same grim tone.

 

"hm?"

 

"don't worry, its just me thinking outloud."

 

"time's up."

 

"funny you say that, my eyes arent heavy."

 

 

"i lied, it's five minutes." 

 

she quickly took out her hatchet out of it's strap and stuck it in her head.

 

the grip of karmala's hand went limp.

 

she rested the limp hand in on her chest.

 

"rest easy."

 

veronica was now fully concerned, and was extremely uncomfortable.

 

pavel stood, looking toward the old mormon fort.

 

she needed to check on her family, see if they were safe and okay.

 

 

what was now shown to veronica gave her only a sliver of what ran deep into the dark side of pavel's psyche.


	6. she eyes me like a pisces

its been a small while after pavel.. _did that.._

 

a while since the freeside massacre, as the town called it.

 

since she stuck the hatchet down into that woman's skull.

and left it there.

 

 

maybe it was some sort of statement to the ncr when they would find her body 

 

veronica is unsure of how small a while it has been though, between a few hours to a day?

 

 

 

she doesn't know how to keep track of much after witnessing that.

 

its not like she never seen death.

or caused it.

 

 

but it was weird, particularly different when she saw pavel like that.

 

the woman usually preferred asking questions before shooting, whenever she got the opportunity to anyway.

 

it was understandable maybe, to a fault

 

it was still

 

strange, almost ghastly.

 

 

 

 

she avoids her as subtly as she could without outright running away.

 

small nods, brief banter.

her paranoia makes her think if she says or does too much

 

she'll become like karmala.

 

she feels like a rat next to the russian.

 

puny.

 

predictable.

 

small.

 

easy to  _kill_. 

 

 

she hopes that pavel doesnt notice. 

 

 

because she doesn't want to find out what happens when she does.

she hopes she doesn't find that out either

 

 

 

 

 

 

and when they get home and when veronica holds her like usual, that pavel doesnt notice how close she is to screaming.

how close she feels to death itself.

 

to the grim reaper.

 

 

her paranoia whispers to her horrible things

 

she fears

screaming out as a knife slits her throat in her sleep

 

but nothing comes out

 

 

she fears that she might not wake up again if she sleeps.

 

 

is pavel a wolf in sheep's clothing?

 

she thought to herself as she stays rather wide awake as the other sleeps 

 

 

she doesn't sleep that entire night.

she  _can't sleep ever again,_ she thinks to herself.

 

and when she lies casually to pavel during breakfast that her red eyes are just from her not sleeping so well.

 

she hopes she never figures it out

 

ever

 


	7. a/n

hey dummies, im alive!! 

i've been alive for a while but my brain has been tapping out on the whole writing gig for a long while.

for those who are enjoying this work, you won't need to possibly wait long, the chapter is about 1/4 done (its gonna be slightly longer then the others i imagine) and it'll be an interesting change of events. 

 

until then, just take this as a note and a reassurance. farewell.


End file.
